Whether or not you actually watch it, NBC’s Last Comic Standing has served as launching pad for comedians. Even somewhat established comedians like Doug Benson and Ralphie May got a boost from appearing on their respective seasons. And Amy Schumer has certainly gone on to achieve a modicum of success. We’ll see if that extends to recent winners Rod Man and Iliza Shlesinger, who both have TV shows in the works.
Shlesinger was the sixth season’s final upright comedian and remains the youngest winner, as well as the only female winner. And while her Netflix comedy special Freezing Hot was mostly lukewarm, Deadline reports that Shlesinger will soon host the TBS game show Separation Anxiety. The cable network has already ordered 14 episodes of the “comedic relationship-based game show with a unique twist,” which will debut later this year.
Also according to Deadline, season eight winner Man has just been cast in a new comedy for NBC. He’ll play a successful comedian who moves his family in with his mother when his self-absorbed brother fails to look after her. The series comes from Kenny Smith (The CW’s The Game) and Wanda Sykes who, incidentally, executive produced the 2014 season of Last Comic Standing. Sykes will produce the as-yet-untitled project along with her Push It Productions partner Page Hurwitz.